My mum lives in an aged care home. The home has closed to visitors a number of times recently, and this situation is likely to continue for some time. My sister and I became concerned that our mum’s hearing had deteriorated to the extent that we could no longer communicate by phone or Zoom. Mum’s increasing dementia makes her anxious and needing reassurance from us.

I made an appointment with the Brindabella Hearing and Speech Centre at Deakin. I took mum in a wheelchair because she is unsteady on her feet and recently had a nasty fall. I was grateful that Rasha, the audiologist, was able to treat mum while still in the chair. I was greatly impressed by the skill, gentleness and patience with which Rasha went about her work. The result has been a wonderful improvement in mum’s hearing. My sister (who lives in Queensland) was able to talk to mum on the phone yesterday for the first time in a number of weeks. We are both very grateful, and express our sincere thanks for this excellent service.

In recent months I took a big step to improve my hearing. That was to obtain hearing aids.

I did not do so without undertaking research to make me a more informed buyer. I was well aware of reports of unscrupulous retail clinics recommending the most expensive aids, whether the customer needs them or not. I also wanted to ensure I understood the main factors: was it the type of aids, or the manufacturer, or the reputation and practices of the provider, or the skills of audiologist?

As a result, I picked Brindabella Hearing and Speech Centre for its reputation and brand independence. That went smoothly enough; the centre at Deakin is conveniently located and the booking process was courteous and efficient. In waiting for my appointment, I observed the audiologists greet clients young and old, and their manner was both pleasant and encouraging.

The audiologist to whom I was allocated was Cailyn Furze. She also was welcoming, and explained the processes and entitlements that applied to me as a DVA White Card holder. She then performed the required technical tests and adjustments. Throughout, she was most professional, patient, knowledgable, tolerant and attentive. I believe I received excellent personal advice and service, and was duly fitted for a pair of Widex Evoke 220 Bluetooth-enabled aids.

My aids are a mid-range solution and cost $4,000 after health insurance rebates and government subsidies. They also fit well with my Apple iPhone and give me excellent visual control of the aids' hearing configurations and adaptions.

In subsequent consultations, Cailyn listened carefully to my observations and made appropriate suggestions and adjustments, as well as adding desired additional functionality. She was also very quick to respond to emails.

The outcome is that I am a very satisfied client. Though it is still early days, I believe I benefited from the skilled attention of a caring and competent audiologist. My research suggested that of all the factors, the professional skill and diligence of the audiologist was the most important, and that seems to have been borne out.

Given Cailyn’s excellent technical work and client care, I have every reason to be satisfied with Brindabella Hearing’s service, and will return in due course for the normal range of services and adjustments. No doubt things will change over time, but I very much hope Cailyn remains an audiologist at the centre. Indeed, I have already said as much to some friends and acquaintances.

An old soldier

Approximate cost: $4000

Highly skilled and professional staff. They are informative, not pushing products, support and education all top quality. They're a bit expensive, but not as costly as getting bad advice, an inappropriate hearing aid, or inadequate guidance on how to use and care for the device.

A truly excellent service. I could not speak more highly of my entire experience with this Centre and their audiologist, Miss Sarah Barron in particular. My treatment was professionally reassuring and thorough and the outcome extremely successful. What could have been a distressing episode was transformed into an extremely pleasant experience.

Expert, professional advice and friendly assistance. Never any pressure to purchase any particular brand of hearing aids. All audiologists consulted over many years have been professional and caring. A superb practice.